Like A Zeus Bearing Aegis

[Billy Britt]

The word Aegis (from the Greek) entered our modern English to mean a shield, protection, or sponsorship.In later Classical mythology, the aegis was the shield of the god Zeus, he is described in the Iliad as the “Aegis-bearing Zeus.”In Greek mythology, when the Olympians would shake the aegis, Mount Ida would become wrapped in clouds as thunder rolled and men where struck down with fear.Today, we have a clear concept of doing something “under someone’s aegis” meaning to do something under protection of a powerful, knowledgeable, or benevolent source.News organizations at their best are protector of the public interest.The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of the press also implicit in our laws is a freedom from the press. This one, however, is greatly ignored.Everyday writers, as well as, editors are faced with decisions as to what is news worthy, what is in the public interest. While we strive to make these choices based on wisdom and understanding many are made arbitrarily based on time to complete a story, physical space within the paper and, yes, sometimes, whim.However, when it comes to public trust we all take a serious and measured view of what is reported and how it is reported. As an editor, I labor under a great personal weight every time a story concerns matters of public trust.Reputations, lives and institutions can be reformed or destroyed by such stories. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all who wear the mantle of journalist to consider, with great care, the validity of a story.This brings us to the realm of the whistle blower.A whistleblower is usually an employee, former employee or member of an organization who reports misconduct. These wrongdoings fall into the common categories of a violation of law, rule, regulation and/or a direct threat to public interest, such as fraud, health and safety violations, and corruption.Many find the whistleblower to be a hero while others see them as the villain. Whatever the case, news organizations rely on them to “break the big story.” These big stories have had positive effects as well as negative ones.One of the most profound negative effects has been to make the journalist a celebrity and, as a follow-on, make him or her rich as well.While Watergate was a crime and the ensuing cover-up a national scandal, this story ushered in the era of the rich and famous reporter. Not that notoriety and wealth had not been apart of the game before Woodward and Bernstein, it was, however, expanded exponentially afterwards.And who was the man behind the story that destroyed a presidency and forever-changed journalism, as we know it? Who was the man known as “Deep Throat?” It was Deputy Director of the FBI William Mark Felt, Sr., a man who admitted that he became a whistleblower as a result of being past over for promotion.In other word, a disgruntled employee which is so many times the case. It is not that these people have good intentions, generally their aim is revenge not public good. So a true journalist must be weary of the informant and take into consideration the intent. Of course, this does not mean the information should be discarded. It, however, should be aggressively scrutinized.From a personal stand point, I loath the disgruntled employee bent on revenge. They seek only to tear down not to build for the better. Therefore, the so-called whistleblower is, to me, the lowest form of information and generally has as much to hide as they do to expose.As an editor, I believe there is an obligation to protect people from the press.The press is often referred to as the “Fourth Estate.” The term goes back to Thomas Carlyle in the first half of the 19th century.Novelist Jeffrey Archer, in his work, the Fourth Estate observered: “In May 1789, Louis XVI summoned to Versailles a full meeting of the ‘Estate General.’ The First Estate consisted of three hundred clergy. The Second Estate, three hundred nobles. The Third Estate, six hundred commoners. Some years later, after the French Revolution, Edmund Burke, looking up at the Press Gallery of the House of Commons, said, ‘Yonder sits the Fourth Estate, and they are more important than them all.’”As the Fourth Estate we are advocates as well as defenders. We should, at our best, provide accurate, unbiased information to frame the issues in a way that allows citizens to make good decisions. We should hold those in power accountable and to expose the rats and cockroaches that infect all corners of public life.It is naïve to think that all or any public man or woman has clean hands, by omission or commission there is dirt.The great failing of journalists is to think that we are the heroes of the story. The truth is we should never be in the story, not our ego, ambition or desire. We are mechanics who should work in earnest to make clear information that shields against tyranny and promotes liberty.